Train-signal.



A. R. MUTTON. V

TRAIN SIGNAL.

APPLICATION F ILED JULY 1, 1H2.

1 066 748, Patented July 8,1913. L 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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Ina/anion A.R.J gfutto-n.

Attorney.

A. R. MUTTON.

TRAIN SIGNAL.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 1, 1912.

1,066,748. Patented July 8, 1913.

Inventor, @7-

Alifluttan,

Attornay.

witnesses:

UNITED STATFZLITENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR R. MUTTON, OF WATERLOO, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO OTIS P.'HIGDON, OF WATERLOO, IOWA.

TRAIN-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 8, 1 913.

Applic tion filed July 1, 1912. Serial No. 706,964.

To 07/ vc/mm it may concern."

l'le it known that l, ARTHUR H. Mr'r'roN, a citizen of the United Stateso'l Xmerica. and a resident of lvaterloo. Blackhawk county, Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful improvements in Trailh ignals, of whichthe following is a specification.

;\l v invention relates to improvements in actuating; means forlocomotive cab-signals and combined air-brake stops. and the objccts ofmy improvements are these: to furnish in the cab of a locomotivesuitable visual signals for either day or night use and also an audiblealarm for the use of the engineer, and means for actuating the air-brakesystem of a train, all combined and co-actuatcd by suitable electrictransmission means and automatic mechanical devices adequate to thepurposes sought. These objects I have accomplished by the means whichare hereinafter described and claimed. and which are illustrated by thefollowing drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan diagram, representing my system of electric contactsand their connectitns as used between and in cooperation with the railsof a single-track railway and adapted for the use of trains passing ineither of opposite directions. Fig. 2 is a plan diagram, representingsuch a system as modified for use in cooperation with the rails of adouble-track railway, or one in which the trains pass only in onedirection thereover. Fig. 3 is a detail vertical transverse section ofthe valve-mechanism employed, in which the working parts are shown inthe respective positions assumed' by them when operating to actuate thecabsignals of a locomotive and to actuate the air-brakes of a train.Fig. l is an enlarged detail view of the locomotive contact-deviceadapted to coact with the track-contacts. Fig. 5 is a completeelevation, in diagrammatic form, of the electrical apparatus andmechanical working parts associated therewith, as carried in the cab ofa locomotive for actuating cab-signals and actuating the air brakes, themechanically-actuating parts being shown in vertical transverse section.

Similar characters and numerals of reference denote similar partsthroughout the several views.

This application relates particularly to the track and engine electricalinstallations adapted to actuate the various signals of this device, andautomaticatly operate the air-brake lll(('lltllli lll of the device andot a train.

This device is adapted to operate on the normal danger system, that isan ele tric current must pass through a relay and a solenoid of theengine equipment in order to show the way clear of obstruction and theelectrical equipment in operative condition. In addition to this, thair-pressure in the air-reservoir must be complete in order that thel'llCCl1tllll('tll or valve-regulating origin of the device may operatenormally to show a way clear indication. and be ready to set theair-brakes on any opening of said electrical circuit. So constructed andbeing in a normal working condition, any of thifollowing will set thesystem in ztcti\ ity to stop the train upon which it is ire-tailed. Anybody which may be so positioned acros the rails to effect electricalconduc ivity therebetween, such as any iron tool or ohstruction. thewheels and axles of another train, a hand-car, or car blown on the mainline from a siding, a broken rail, loose tnllnections, washed out track,open drawbridge, weak or exhausted track or local ca battery. oranything else which would interfere with a closed circuit, will cause anillltw matic actuation of the mechanical parts to set the air-brakes onthe engine and train, In case the air-pressure of the brake-systemshould for any reason very gradually l9 SPl1 to become inefficient, thebrakes would not be actuated, yet nevertheless the cab-signals willbecome visible or sound, as the case may be, to warn the engineer ofdanger indieations.

The combined system comprises the following cooperating electric andmechanically working devices:

Track circm'ts.Fig. 1 represents the track of a single-line railwayadapted for passage of trains thereover in either of oppositedirections. The sections of the track are in sulated from each other atthe ends, and each oppositely arranged pair of rails A and B of eachrail section a track-battery 8 cross-connected between them near one oftheir ends. conducting-Wires being connected to the other ends of saidrails and lead thence to their own respective contact-rails or plates,as follows: All the centrally located contactrails 6, 2, etc, areconnected to a single medially located wire having cross-connections tothe rails B. Each opgram showing an adaptation of the system "to trackwhich is part of a double-track railnd in which the trains pass in one gon only, it will be seen that some of thei'conductors and contact-railsare elimi nated, leaving only those useful for the purpose, sueh as thecontact-rails 6, 1 and 4 for the rail-sections A, and the contacts 7, 2and 5 for the opposite rail-sections B. In this case, the contactsoperate for the section immediately ahead of the section on which thetrain may be located, as the section C for the section D, etc.

Engine egm'pment.The engine equipment includes the following: A pair ofleverarms 9 and '10 onpivots 11 antl 12 having at their lower ends andfacing each other contact plates 16 and 17 respectively insulated Itherefrom and spaced apart. The arms are 535 connected by means of atension spring 13, have each terminals 14 and 15 respecynormally incontact, and respectively ulated from the arms and in electrical litactwith the wires 20 and 19 respectively, said wire 19 also leading to thecontact-plate 17, while the contact-plate 16 is in circuitwith a wire 18leading to one terminal of a relay 30. The wire 19 leads to the otherterminal of said relay, while the wire 20 leads through switch'21 to oneterminal of a local cab battery 23. By means of said connections andcontacts the relay 30 is controlled by means of either the local battery23, or by the track battery 8, as the case may be. The numeral 39denotes a solenoid adapted'to actuate a piston-valve composed of theconnected spaced apart pis ton-heads 41 and 42 working in a smallcylinder 43 and connected to its armature or core 40. The solenoidreceives current only from the local battery 23 by way of a wire 22, andits circuit is closed and controlled through a wire 28 and the contactof the terminal of the latter with the pivoted armature 29 of said relay30. The engine equipment also includes an electric-light and a movablevisual target alarm and a bell or gong audible signal, and an automtlca1 rvalve adapted to operate to set the an brakes of the train.

The automatic air-rul'caflleferring es pecially toFig. 5, the numeral 72denotes a cylinder whose interspace 74: contains a reciprccatory plungerhaving spaced-apart pistmi-valves and 76, of differential areas atopposite ends. The lower piston-valve 76 is adapted to be seated toclrse a valveseat 77 leading to the train line of the train air-brakesystem. A port 78 in the side of the cylinder 72 and in comn'iunicationwith the interspace 74, exhausts to the atmosphere. The upper end of thecylinder 72 is closed by a plate 73 to leave thereunder and between itand the upper face of the piston-head 71 an interspace or chamber 70. Ahollow casting 81 is seated upon said plate 73 and incloses aninterspace 67 which is in communication with the other interspace 70 bymeans of a post 69 in said plate 73. v In said casting 81 is a port 66normally kept closed by means of a valve 65 on a stem 64, the latterpivoted at 63 to the lever 50, the latter pivoted at its left-hand endat 62 to an upright part 61 of the plate 73. A needle-valve 68 is seatedin an opening in said casting 81 so as to be moved to close the orifice69 in the plate 73.

The area of the lower face of the valvehead 76 is lessthan the area ofthe upper face of the upper valve-head 71. If we assume that the area ofthe head 7 6 is but one square inch while the area of the other head isthree square inches, and further assuming that the air'pressure belowthe head 76 is 60 pounds per square inch, the air in the chamber 70above the head 71 would exercise a total pressure downwardly of 180pounds. as opposed to the upward pressure .of sixty pounds on the lowerhead, and

therefore the head 76 is held closed on its seat normally. The pressurein the chamber 70 is reached by admitting air from below the head 76through a small central vertical bore in said piston-body 76.

\Vhen the lever 50 is held in a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 5,the small valve-head 65 is drawn up by it to close the port 66, but ifanything is done to depress said lever, the valve 65 moves downwardlyopening said port allowing the compressed air in the chamber 70 toescape by way of the port 69 through the chamber 67 and said port 66.Since the said ports are larger in area than the small bore 80 in thepiston-body 75, the air in the chamber 70 will escape faster than airwill be admitted through the bore 80, until the pressure above the head71 will be less in total amount than that on the lower head 76, when thepiston-body 75 will rise letting air move from below said head 76 to theport 78 and thence to the atmosphere, which operation sets the brakesand stops the train. This process of air equalization of pressures innot instantaneous, in fact is gradual enough to permit the engineer tolearn the situation because of the bell and visual alarms sounding atthe same time,

whereby he may use the following means to as he may .gineer may shiftthis lever-arm or handle 60 to the right far enough .to cause its detent59 to become engaged in the notch 57 on the lower edge of the-lever 50,while the cam-head 58 which'rests upon the upper end of the needle-valvestem- 68, pushes the latter down to close the port 69.

, Solenoid (actuated eaZoe. Referring to thesmall cylinder 43'and theconnected piston heads41 and 42, the numeral 44 denotes a pipe leadingfrom the compressed-air reservoirintosaid cylinder, while the pipe 45 isan exhaust vent, and on the opposite side "of the cylinder a pipe 46leads to communi cate with another cylinder 47 under a piston- 48 whosestem is pivotally connected to the lever 50 at 49. When the piston-head41 is down the port of the pipe 44 is closed and the other piston-head42 is also down leaving the exhaust-pipe ,open so that the air canexhaust from under the piston 48 through the pipe 46. Vhen the solenoid39 is in circuit its core 40 lifts withthe said piston-heads 41 and 42,letting air into the cylinder? 43, pipe 46, and cylinder 47, and

closing the exhaust pipe 45, and as the pis till 48 rises, it lifts upthe lever 50 toa normal horizontal position.

Vz'sibletarget signal.'llhis is used in daylight, and'is composed of twoparts, one stationary in front and the other fixed on the righthand endof the lever50 immediately behind the other, but tnoving up and downwith said lever. The stationary part comprises fixed horizontal stripsalternately arranged,- of any opaque white substance and cleartransparent glass'as shown at 51 and 52 respectively. The movable partcomprises alternated strips of like dimensions of red and ofwhitematerial respectively.

as shown at-53 and 54. When the lever 50 is in its normal horizontalposition, as

shown in Fig. 5, the white strips 54.are

behind and arev seen through the transpan ent strips 52 presenting infront a uniformly white appearance to the target, but when the lever 50lowers, the red strips 53 fall to be seen through the strips 52, giving.the, target a very striking barred red and white armature 29 andconductors 31,24 to battery. The electric-lamp 34 behind a red glasscover is in electric circuit by means of the wires 22 to said battery,and the conductor 33, projection on the lever 59, conductor 24 back tobattery.

()perafion.-\V hen the engine equipment is normal, vi'rcu t is closedfrom the battery 23, switch 21, wire 20, contacts 14, and 15, wire 19,relay 30 to the point wherethc wire 18 connects with the armature 20,through the armature to the first point of contact and back to thebattery, the armature being held up by the energized relay. At the sametime circuit is completed through the solenoid 39 from the left side ofthe battery, the wire 22, then returning by wire 28, armature 29, wire25 to the bat tcry. The core of the energized solenoid being lifted, thepiston-heads 41 and 42 are actuated to admit air into the cylinder 47 asabove described. Assuming that. the train in progress brings itscontact-plates 16 and 17 into contact with the'con act-rails 6 and 7respectively, the shoes 16 and 17 would be spread apart enough to openthe circuit between the terminals 14 and 15, and the relay 30 would loseits magnetism and control over its armature 29, which would drop.Circuit would be completedhowever from the track-battery 8 alongsection-rail A, then over thejwire from this rail to contact 'rail 7 andto contact-plate 17, up Wire 19 through the relay and down wire 18 tocontact-plate 16 .to contact-plate 6, thence back to battery 8, thusmaintaining the engine circuit and equipment in a normal condition. VVhen the contact-plates 16 and 17 leave the contactrails-G and 7, thetension of the spring 13 acts to close the circuit between'thetermifinally automatically setting the air-brakes. As the armature 29dropped, it closed a circuit through the conductors 31 and 32 while thearm 55 has been swung to the. right closing the circuit with theconductors 24 and 83, and these actions together with the simultaneousswinging of the arm 56 to the right to close the circuit with theconductors 32 and 38, caused a lighting up of the lamp 34 and also anactuation of the gong alarm 37. Since an appreciable interval elapsesbecylinder 47. The lever 50 would then drop,

7 he could act in this interval to prevent the setting of the brakestill he could control the train to stop at a point desired, by movingthe handle 60 to the right, to act upon the valves as above described.It will be understood that when he shifts the handle 60the contact willbe broken between the bar 56 and the terminal of the wire 38, to stopthe gong alarm, but the light signal 34 and the target will continue toshow danger indications until everything becomes automatically cleared.When the engineer perceives the alarm indications and checks theapplication of the brackets in the manner described, he proceeds withcaution into the next block. If during that time, the obstruction hasremoved, or the train ahead has moved from the sections ahead, such asE, and F, the contact-plates of his engine will engage with thecontact-rails 2 and 3 respectively, cansing current to pass the relay30, closing the armature 29, energizing the solenoid, and by thismeans'restoring through the above described intermediate actuatingapparatus, everything into its normal condition. \Vhen necessary to testthe electrical conductivity of the cab battery and electrically actuateddevices, it may be done by opening the switch 21 and then closing thekey 27 from the wire 26 to the Wire 18.

Having describedmy invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is;

L In combination, adjacent track-rail sections divided byinsulation, asource of current connected across the rails of a section, a pair ofseparated control terminals for said section- 'electrically connectedwith opposite railsof another of the sections, a pair .of separableelastically-connected bridgingcontacts for said control terminalscarried "by a'train, signal mechanisms on the train tions divided byinsulation, a source. of cur-- rent connected across the railsof asection, a pair of separated control terminals for said sectionelectrically'connected with opposite rails of another of the sections, apair of separable. elasticallyconnected bridging contacts for saidcontrol terminals carried by a train, signal mechanismson the trainelectrically connected with said bridging contacts, a normally closedconpound cir- 4. In combination, adjacent tions divided by insulation, asource of our cuit including a source of current, a relay, and saidbridging-contacts, and actuating means included in said circuit adaptedto act when said relay is deenergized by a break in the track circuit tooperate said vsignals to indicate danger and being irresponsive to arenewal of the train C111 rcnt therethroughso as to hold the signals toindicate danger until reset by renewal of the track current through saidbridging con tacts.

3. In combination, adjacent track-rail sections divided by insulation, asource of current connected across the rails of a section,

a pair of separated control terminals for said section electricallyconnected; with opposite rails of another of the sections, a pair ofseparable elastically connected bridging contacts for said controlterminals carried by a train, signal mechanisms on the trainelectrically connected with said bridging contacts, a normally closedcompound circuit including a source of current, a relay, and saidbridging-contacts, actuating means: included in said circuit adapted toact when said relay is de'energized by a break in the track circuit tooperate said signals to indicate danger and means for resetting saidactuating means to render certain of said signal mechanisms inactive.

track-rail secrent connected across the rails of each section, a controlterminal in each section electrically connected to one of the rails ofthe same section and connected to each other by a continuous conductor,other control terminals in each section located or. each side of thefirst mentioned terminal and spaced apart therefrom, one of thesecond-mentioned terminals being connected by means of a conductor to arail in a section in ad- Vance and the other by a conductor to a rail ina section to the rear thereofon the side opposite to the said" railconnectionsof the .terminals on said continuous conductor, a

pair

of separable elastically-connected bridging contacts for one of thefirst and one of the second mentioned track terminals carried by atrain, signal mechanisms on the train electrically connected with saidbridging-contacts, a normally closed compound circuit including a sourceof current,

a relay, and said bridging-contacts, and actuating means included insaid circuit adapted to act when said relay is deenergized by a break inthe track-circuit to operate said signals to indicate danger.

5; In combination, adj acenttraclorail sections dividedby insulation, asource-of current connected across the rails of each section, a controlterminal in each section eleetrically connected to one of the rails ofthe nals in each section located on each side of the first mentionedterminal and spaced apart therel'ronl. one of the secmid-mentioncdterminals being connected by means of a conductor to a rail in a sectionin advance and the other by a conductor to a rail in a section to therear thereof on the side opposite to the said rail connections of theterminals on said continuous conductor, a pair of separableelastically-connected bridging-contacts for one of the first and one ofthe secoml-mcutioned track terminals carried by a train, signalmechanisms on the train electrically connected with saidbridging-contacts, a normally closed compound circuit including a sourceof current, a relay, and said lnidging-contacts, actuating-meansincluded in said circuit adapted to act when said relay is deenergizedby a break in the track-circuit to operate said signals to indicatedanger and being irresponsivc to a reneval ot' the current therethroughso as to hold the signals to indicate danger until reset by renewal ofthe track-current through said bridging contacts. 7

(3. In combination, adjacent track-rail sections divided by insulation,a source of current connected across the rails of each section, acontrol terminal in each section electricallyconnected to one of therails of the same section and contracted to each other by a continuousconductor, other control terminals in each section located on each. sideof the first-mentioned terminal and spaced apart therefrom, one ofthesecond mentioned terminals being connected by means of a conductor to arail in a section in ad vance'and the other by a conductor to arail in asection to the rear thereof on the side opposite to the said railconnections of the terminals of said continuous conductor, a pair ofseparable elastically-eonnected bridging contacts for one of the firstand oneot the second mentioned track terminals carried by a train,signal mechanisms on the train electrically connected with said bridgingcontacts. a normally closed compound circuit including a source ofcurrent, a relay, and said bridging-contacts, actuating means includedin said circuit adapted to act when said relay is deenergized by a breakin the track-circuit to operate said signals to indicate danger, andmeans for resetting said actuatirg means to render certain of saidsignal mechanisms inactive.

7. In combination, adjacent track rail sections divided by insulation,a'source of current connected across the railsof a section, a pair ofseparated control terminals for said section electrically connected withopposite rails of another of the sections, a pair of separableelastically connected bridging-contacts for said control terminalscarried by a train, a normally closed compound circuit including asource of current and a relay 0n the train, in circuit with saidbridging-contacts, electro responsive devices, meansjn said compoundcircuit adapted to actuate said devices, display means associated withich of said electro-responsive devices, a motor part for brake control,and means for connecting said motor part to be governed by one of theelectro-res'ponsive devices of said circuit.

8. In combination, adjacent track-rail sections divided by insulation, asource of current connected across the rails of a section, a pair ofseparated control-teri'ninals for said section electrically connectedwith opposite rails of another of the sections, a pair of separableelastically-connected bridging contacts for said control terminalscarried by a train, a normally closed compound circuit including asource of current in circuit with said bridging contacts,electro-responsive devices, means in said compound circuit adapted toactuate said devices, signaling mechanisms and display devicesassociated with each of said electro-responsive devices, a motor partfor brake control, means for connecting said motor part to be' governedby-one of the electro-responsive devices of said circuit and means forresetting said motor part connections to render the motor part inactive.

9. In combination, adjacent track-rail sections divided by insulation, asource of current connected across the rails of a section, a pair ofseparated control-terminals for said section electrically connected withopposite rails of another of the sections, a pair of separableelastically-connected bridging-contacts for saidcontrol terminalscarried by a train, a' normally closed compound circuit including asource of current in circuit with said bridging-contacts on the train,electro-responsive devices, means in said compound circuit adapted toactuate said devices, signalingmechanisms including a sounding apparatusassociated with each of said electro-responsive devices, a motor part to-be governed by certain of the electro-respo'nsive devices of saidcircuit, and means for resetting said motor-part connections to renderthe motor-part and said sounding apparatus alone inactive.

10. In combination, adjacent track-rail sections divided by insulation,a source of currentconneeted across the rails of a section, a pair ofseparated control-terminals for said section electrically-connected withopposite rails of another. of the sections, a pair of separableelastically-connected bridging-contacts for said control-terminalscarried by a train, a normally closed compound circuit including asource ofcurrentin circuit with said bridging-contacts on the train,electro-responsive devices, means in said compound circult adapted toactuate said devices, a signaling mechanism comprising a stationary partcomposed of alternated bands of opaque and transparent substances and apart movable past the stationary part and covered with alternated bandiof contrasted colors of like shape and dimensions as the transparentbands of the stationary part, said movable part being associated with.and actuated by said electro responsive devices.

it. 111- combination, adjacent track-rail sections divided byinsulation, a source of current connected across the rails of a section,a pair of separated control-terminals {or said sectionelectrically-connected with opposite rails of another of the sections, apair of separable elastically-connected bridging-contacts for saidcontrol-terminals carried by a train, a normally-closed compound circuitincluding a source of current in circuit with said bridging-contacts,electro-responsive devices, means in said. compound circuit adapted toactuate said devices, signaling mechanisms including a sounding alarmand a two-part target display-means, the latter comprising both fixedand movable targets, the movable target losated behind the fixed target,and having its adjacent surface barred transversely with contrastingcolors, the fixed target being formed of alternated transparentsubstance a d opaque substance of the same color as one of the colors onthe movable target, said movable target and said sounding-alarm bemgassociated with said electro-responsive devices.

12. In combination, adjacent track-rail sections divided by insulation,a source of ,current connected across the rails of a secion, a pair ofseparated control-terminals or said section electrically-connected withopposite rails of another of the sections, a pair of separableelastically-connected bridging-contacts for said control terminalscarried by a train, a normally closed compound circuit including asource of current in circuit with said bridging-contacts,electro-responsive devices, means in said eompound circuit adapted toactuate said devices, signaling devices including, first; an electriclamp, second; an electrically-a tuated sounding alarm, and third, a twopart target signal, including a fixed part of one color havingtransparent parts, and a. part movable in the rear of said fixed partand having its adjacent surface of two contrasted colors of which one isthat of the fixed part, said signaling devices being associated withsaid electro-responsive devices and adapted to be actuated thereby whenthe track-circuit is broken, to light the lamp, sound said alarm, andshift the movable part relatively to the fixed part of the target todisplay the contrasting color of the movable through the transparentplaces of the fixed target.

Signed at Waterloo, Iowa, this 21st day of June, 1912.

ARTHUR R. MUTTON.

Witnesses:

W. H. BRUNN, GEO. C. ]{EXNEDY.

